The present disclosure relates generally to a dietary supplement which stimulates androgenic and anabolic expressions, more particularly to a dietary supplement containing an endogenous, androgenic corticoid metabolite, and even more particularly to a dietary supplement containing dehydroandrosterol that promotes muscle growth.
It is well known that a person's diet affects their good health and quality of life. It is important to intake the necessary nutrients for a healthy lifestyle. While a person's diet generally determines which nutrients they acquire, dietary supplements may be consumed to supplement nutrients lacking in a person's diet. Dietary supplements are food products that supply nutrients that may be missing or not consumed in sufficient quantity. The food product may include one or more of a vitamin, mineral, herb or other botanical, or an amino acid. The food product can also include a dietary substance to supplement the diet by increasing a person's total dietary intake. More information regarding dietary supplements can be found in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.
In general, the nutrients a person requires depends on many different factors, such as their activity level. Some people need and benefit from nutrients that stimulate the release of hormones. A hormone is a substance produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another tissue. Hormones are capable of spurring physiological activity, such as growth or metabolism. Corticoids are a particular class of hormones occurring in nature, especially as a product of the adrenal cortex. Corticoids are useful for a variety of applications, and some possess unique androgenic potential capable of promoting muscle growth and other characteristic effects. However, many of them have undesirable side effects as well.
For example, some anabolic androgenic steroids are man-made substances related to male sex hormones. The term “anabolic” generally refers to muscle-building, and the term “androgenic” generally refers to increased masculine-type characteristics. The term “steroids” generally refers to a class of drugs used to treat conditions that occur when the body produces abnormally low amounts of testosterone. Steroids are also used to treat body wasting in patients with diseases that result in loss of lean muscle mass. Abuse of anabolic steroids, however, can lead to serious health problems, and some of these health problems can potentially be irreversible.
Some of the potential health problems from ingesting anabolic androgenic steroids may include liver tumors and cancer, jaundice, fluid retention, high blood pressure, immune dysfunction, and adversely altered lipid metabolism. Other health problems include kidney tumors, severe acne, and trembling. In addition, there are some gender specific health problems that may occur, such as testicular atrophy, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, gynecomastia, and an increased risk for prostate cancer in men. For women, the health problems include the growth of facial hair, pattern baldness, and changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle.
As can be understood, it is desirable to stimulate androgenic-anabolic expressions, including, but not limited to, muscle growth, without overt risk of undesirable health consequences.
Additionally, many steroid hormones are regulated by public law or private contract, thus greatly limiting the acceptable options for many potential consumers. Current regulations are viewed by many consumers as restrictive. Thus, these consumers are often tempted to pursue clandestine products in spite of the health risks and legal restrictions.
As such, there is a need for effective, legally acceptable alternatives in the natural market. The compositions and methods described herein offer androgenic and anabolic activity to a user, with no documented toxicity, are compliant with food supplement regulations, and are unscheduled by any current drug regulation. Thus, these compositions help to foster responsible consumer use by offering a natural and legal alternative to the dangerous, clandestine products that are otherwise being used and have become so prevalent.